Buffalo Bills' Defense: Nobody's Job Should Be Safe

If there’s one positive for the Bills after Sunday’s game against the Titans, it’s that they don’t have to play for two weeks. There has been a lot of blame spread around the team following the loss, but it’s hard to put any blame on an offense that scored 34 points and gave the team a lead in the fourth quarter. They made their share of mistakes which contributed to the loss, but 34 points should be plenty to win an NFL game.

Over the next two weeks, anything attached to the Buffalo Bills’ defense needs to be re-evaluated. This defense isn’t just bad, they’re historically bad. It seems every week they pass a dubious record for most yards allowed.

This defense made Chris Johnson remember he’s supposed to be good. Through six games, Johnson only rushed for 301 yards (50 yards per game). He gashed the Bills for 195 yards on the ground, with 83 on one play. If tailgaters got into the stadium a few minutes late, they had already missed a Titans' touchdown.

This defense has been too pathetic through seven games for there not to be any change. Anyone from Dave Wannstedt, to Mario Williams and everyone in-between should be on notice that someone else could take his job.

By the time Buffalo gets to Houston, they need to put their 11 best defensive players on the field. They need to throw away what players have done in the past, how much money they’re making, when in the draft they were taken, how many Pro Bowls they may have made or who is supposed to be the best; they need to put players on the field that help the team the most.

There is no denying that Mario Williams has been a disappointment. It’s easy to say he should be benched, but is it really going to help? Is his replacement going to be any better? There may be evidence from the Titans game that the answer is yes.

Who should be replaced on defesne first?

Who should be replaced on defesne first?

Mario Williams

34.3%

Marcell Dareus

4.5%

Aaron Williams

43.8%

Nick Barnett

7.9%

George Wilson

9.6%

Total votes: 178

I can’t believe I’m bringing up Kyle Moore after seven games, but Moore went in for Williams on one play and got a sack. Whether it’s because Moore was fresh or because he’s willing to give more effort than Williams, Moore is making a case that he should be playing instead of the $100 million man.

It doesn’t end with Mario Williams. Should Terrence McGee start for Aaron Williams? Should MarcellDareus be benched? It seems like when Alex Carrington goes in for him that Carrington pushes through the line and disrupts the play. He also saved the game at Arizona by getting a finger on the potential game-winning kick.

The list continues: should Nick Barnett take a seat? He clearly wasn’t where he was supposed to be on Johnson’s 83-yard touchdown run, which allowed for the gaping hole. Does something like that happen because Kelvin Sheppard isn’t playing well? Even someone I love, like George Wilson, has to be aware that he isn’t getting the job done lately. Da’Norris Searcy has gotten playing time over the last year and a half and he might be ready for a starting role.

As far as Wannstedt is concerned, I can see why Gailey doesn’t want to make a change mid-season. Rarely does a move like that propel a team to bigger and better things.

However, I am one of the guys that firmly believes he needs to be on the field. For as demonstrative a coach as Wannstedt is, he doesn’t give any of that energy to the players if he’s in the coaching box. And if players aren’t giving maximum effort, he needs to be on the field so he can get into the faces of his players and let them know their effort is unacceptable.

Players aren’t able to control how much talent they are blessed with; they either have it or they don’t. But they can control how much effort they give. Any boss would expect his employees to work as hard as they can when they’re at work. It shouldn’t be any different for a football team. If someone isn’t doing the job well enough, find someone who will.